Posted by Kathryn Engle on April 26, 2012 at 12:32 AM
Has anyone been to the Steens? Is this a place worth going to to get a few pics. What was your opinion. I am trying to decide if I should go over July 4th long weekend or not
Haven't been there yet Kathryn, but I remember Mark Adamus saying that Steens and the Alvord Desert are one of his favorite places in the world to shoot.
Posted by Scott Miller on April 26, 2012 at 12:02 PM
The alvord desert is right there and is a great place for photos. I was there this past winter and it was a blast. Personally I might melt in the summer heat there though :)
I was there last September, and I greatly preferred the Alvord side to the highlands. Of course, I was not there in flower or snow cap season, so June or July might make the Steens themselves more interesting.
Posted by Greg Vaughn on April 27, 2012 at 9:52 AM
People who like remote places, the sagebrush desert of the Great Basin, and the unique geology of a huge, glacier-carved fault block love the Steens. I find it fascinating, but it's not for everyone. Photographing on and of Steens itself can be challenging, but as others have mentioned, the Alvord Desert on the east side of the mountain is great for photography.
July is a good time to go to the Steens, as the road should be open all the way to the top. Last I heard, the southern part of of the loop was in terrible condition and required high clearance if not 4WD. Mid- to late-September is a very good time to go to the Steens because there are some great stands of aspen at Fish Lake and Jackman Park that are golden at that time.
You can do a very interesting loop trip from Burns south to Malheur Wildlife Refuge, up to the top of Steens and back down, swing south to the "town" of Fields, then back north to Burns via the well-graded gravel road that runs on the west side of the Alvord Desert at the base of Steens Mountain. Optional side trips include the Diamond Craters Outstanding Natural Area (lots of lava), and the French Pete Round Barn.
It might be interesting to note for you (or anybody), that if any pictures are to be taken at the Steens and/or the area around it, do it soon. There's talks going around now about installing Wind Farms. So, you know what that's going to do to your views and pictures. Look what they've done up the Gorge. I'm not against helping the environment or the latest technology, but sometimes you need to stay a step ahead of it or you won't have any pictures (or memories) of what it used to look like.
Tacking onto Greg's post, I drove that reportedly rough section last year at Labor Day, and it was not bad. We had the Silverado because I was concerned about it, but in all honesty, my Prius would have handledl it okay if taken slowly.
Also, for lodging, if you din't want to camp, there is the Frenchglen hotel on the Steens loop road side and a place called Field's Station in the town of Fields. The latter is known for its milkshakes, but I got good shots of a coyote and three owls (1 barn, 2 Great Horned) at the the oasis across the road. They have fairly spartan lodgings, but the oasis is worth it, as is e general store, which has gluten free pizzas, stuffed olives, and boutique whiskeys. Check out my October blogpost for a description of that place.
Posted by Kathryn Engle on April 28, 2012 at 6:16 PM
Wow. Thanks for all the info. I think it must be a go. My friend's cousin lives in Burns and then I think we may camp. However, I can't pass up a good milkshake so will definitely need to go to Fields. The desert sounds interesting and I guess we will have to hit it early morning or late afternoon to avoid the heat. I think it should be a good trip. Hopefully, I will have something to post afterwards.
Posted by Greg Vaughn on April 30, 2012 at 12:18 PM
Page Springs Campground (BLM) is right at the base of Steens, where the road starts up the mountain. There is also a private campground/rv park close to there and Frenchglen. Even in July, it will probably not be hot at the top of Steens, and it can be quite windy. Bring plenty of mosquito repellant for the lowland areas.
Posted by Phil Knouf on April 30, 2012 at 11:18 PM
Make sure that you contact the BLM office in Burns to get road info. etc. They have been very helpful to me in the past.
Discussion
9 repliesJuly is a good time to go to the Steens, as the road should be open all the way to the top. Last I heard, the southern part of of the loop was in terrible condition and required high clearance if not 4WD. Mid- to late-September is a very good time to go to the Steens because there are some great stands of aspen at Fish Lake and Jackman Park that are golden at that time.
You can do a very interesting loop trip from Burns south to Malheur Wildlife Refuge, up to the top of Steens and back down, swing south to the "town" of Fields, then back north to Burns via the well-graded gravel road that runs on the west side of the Alvord Desert at the base of Steens Mountain. Optional side trips include the Diamond Craters Outstanding Natural Area (lots of lava), and the French Pete Round Barn.
Also, for lodging, if you din't want to camp, there is the Frenchglen hotel on the Steens loop road side and a place called Field's Station in the town of Fields. The latter is known for its milkshakes, but I got good shots of a coyote and three owls (1 barn, 2 Great Horned) at the the oasis across the road. They have fairly spartan lodgings, but the oasis is worth it, as is e general store, which has gluten free pizzas, stuffed olives, and boutique whiskeys. Check out my October blogpost for a description of that place.